The embodiments described herein relate generally to timbre and/or tone control devices for musical instruments and, more particularly, to devices for use with stringed instruments.
Over the past century or more, known attempts at improving string instruments in the violin family have generally failed or had only limited success. As such, known makers of instruments in the violin family have merely been copying early successful violin designs. As used herein, the “violin family” includes the classical violins, violas, cellos, double basses, and octobasses, as well as the “new violin family” that includes eight bowed string instruments referred to as the treble, soprano, mezzo, alto, tenor, baritone, small bass, and contrabass “fiddles.” As used herein, the term “instrument” refers to an instrument in the violin family.
Currently, instrument body dimensions can be controlled accurately within a certain accuracy using known computer controlled carving machines. However, such machines only carve within a range of tolerance that makes operating such machines economically viable. Further, no two pieces of wood have the same physical properties, such as density, composition, and elasticity. As such, there is still a variation of tone from instrument to instrument, even when attempts are made to make the instruments identical using computer controlled carving machines.
Because no two instruments are identical, it is difficult, if not impossible, to grade good instruments on a scale of tone quality because each instrument differs slightly from any other instrument, both in frequency and relative loudness, while having a principle resonance that is substantially accurate. Although from an engineering viewpoint, physical differences between instruments may be small; seasoned musicians readily hear differences in tone among instruments. As used herein, the terms “tone,” “timber,” and “voicing” are used interchangeably to refer to a mixture of qualities of a sound produced by an instrument. Such sound qualities can include, but are not limited to only including, power, clarity, balance, evenness, warmth, richness, depth, smoothness, brilliance, responsiveness, edginess, resonance, and/or subjective qualities.
One of the lesser known voicing variables of an instrument is the bridge of the instrument. FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary known bridge 10 that may be used with a violin and/or a viola. In the exemplary embodiment, bridge 10 includes an upper portion 12, a waist 14, and a lower portion 16. Upper portion 12 extends between a crown 18 and waist 14 and includes a heart hole 20 defined therein and including a tonsil 22. Crown 18 includes a plurality of string notches 24 that are sized to retain a string (not shown) at a proper position. Waist 14 is defined by slits 26 and arm holes 28. Slits 26 and arm holes 28 also define outer arms 30, inner arms 32, and hands 34 of upper portion 12. Slits 26 and arm holes 28 also define bench bars 36 of lower portion 16. In the exemplary embodiment, lower portion 16 extends from waist 14 to a treble leg 38 and to a bass leg 40. Legs 38 and/or 40 may be formed as one piece with lower portion 16 or may be coupled to lower portion 16 at joints. Ankles 42 are formed between each leg 38 and/or 40 and bench bars 36. Bridge 10 has a first thickness (not shown) at crown 18 and a second thickness (not shown) at legs 38 and 40. The first thickness is smaller than the second thickness such that bridge widens from a top 44 to a bottom 46 of bridge 10. For example, in one embodiment, the first thickness is approximately 0.047 inches (in) (1.2 millimeters (mm)), and the second thickness is approximately 0.117 in (4.5 mm) for a known violin bridge.
FIG. 2 is a front view of another exemplary known bridge 50 that may be used with a cello and/or a bass. Bridge 50 is similar to bridge 10 (shown in FIG. 1), except a treble leg 52 and a bass leg 54 of bridge 50 are longer than legs 38 and 40 (shown in FIG. 1) of bridge 10. Further, legs 52 and 54 each include a projection 56 extending therefrom; however, it should be understood that legs 52 and/or 54 are not required to include projection 56. More specifically, bridge 50 includes an upper portion 58, a waist 60, and a lower portion 62. Upper portion 58 extends between a crown 64 and waist 60 and includes a heart hole 66 having a tonsil 68. Crown 64 includes a plurality of string notches 70 that are sized to retain a string (not shown) at a proper position. Waist 60 is defined by slits 72 and arm holes 74. Slits 72 and arm holes 74 also define outer arms 76, inner arms 78, and hands 80 of upper portion 58. Lower portion 62 extends from waist 60 to treble leg 52 and to bass leg 54. Feet 82 may be formed as one piece with legs 52 and/or 54, or feet 82 may be coupled to legs 52 and/or 54 at joints. Bridge 50 has a first thickness (not shown) at crown 64 and a second thickness (not shown) at legs 52 and 54. The first thickness is smaller than the second thickness such that bridge widens from a top 84 to a bottom 86 of bridge 50. For example, in one embodiment, the first thickness is approximately 0.12 in (3 mm), and the second thickness is approximately 0.42 in (10.7 mm) for a known cello bridge.
Because all sound produced by an instrument travels through the bridge, the bridge is a critical component in the voicing of the instrument. However, the bridge, once made, is fixed and unchangeable. As such, the voicing of the instrument is fixed by the bridge used on the instrument. At least some musicians attempt to change the voicing of their instruments by changing types and/or styles of bridges. However, such bridge modifications can be costly and time-consuming.
Many musicians also attempt to modify their instruments to produce a preferred voicing by, for example, moving a bridge or a soundpost of the instrument, searching for a preferred string and/or bow combinations, and/or using a mute on the bridge. The mute can be attached and removed during rests or breaks in a piece, but within known mutes, it is common for the mute to shift during playing. Moreover, known mutes may be difficult to slide into and out of engagement with the instrument, may adversely affect the tone when not intended to rattle during playing, and/or may damage the strings.